The rookie said all the right things.
Matas Buzelis usually does.
“We’re one step at a time,” the Bulls forward insisted. “We’ve got OKC (Oklahoma City) next so that’s what we’re focused on. We were focused on Dallas before (Saturday’s) game. We’re not looking into the future. We’re in the moment.”
The right thing to say, but not entirely accurate.
The locker room knows exactly where they sit in the Eastern Conference standings as they approach Monday’s game against the Thunder and the final push of the eight games left on the schedule. Coach Billy Donovan has made sure of that.
Ever since the six-game West Coast trip in which the Bulls went an impressive 4-2, Donovan has challenged his players to feel like they are in a playoff situation nightly. The fact is they kind of are.
Entering Sunday, the Bulls and the Heat had the same record of 33-41, but the Bulls owned the tiebreaker in head-to-head, winning the first two games of the three-game season series with one meeting left. That’s why the Bulls were the No. 9 seed in the play-in tournament and Miami sat in the No. 10 spot.
As far as who was still in front, the Magic were 2 ½ games up, but the Bulls also own the tiebreaker with them, and then there’s the Hawks who have split the season series with Donovan’s crew.
“I would think from Atlanta to ourselves, to Orlando to Miami, every single game you’re jockeying there,” Donovan said. “We’re all kind of bunched up together. All these games are like that. To be honest with you that’s the way we’ve been trying to treat it.
“Like that was one of the things that I talked about when we played the Lakers there (last week). It was the end of the road trip, and I was like, ‘OK, can you flush (the win in Los Angeles) and go into Denver right now on the last night (of the trip), in a place that’s got altitude, and line up and play?’ Because that’s what ends up happening in the playoffs, right? There’s emotions that go either way. If you win a game or lose a game you’ve got to be able to pick yourself back up.”
The Bulls did just that against the Nuggets, following up the 146-115 win in Los Angeles by outlasting Denver by 10 with the 129-119 win.
That’s why Saturday’s home loss to the Mavericks was so disappointing.
The Bulls grabbed national attention when Josh Giddey hit the game-winning, walk-off half-court shot in the rematch with the Lakers on Thursday, but let the momentum go with Dallas.
Not the ideal night to do that with Miami and Orlando each winning.
“I thought we responded really well in that situation in Denver,” Donovan said. “Coming into (Saturday), I don’t want to say we didn’t respond, but we just didn’t play well enough to win the game.”
Fortunately for the Bulls, they have an opportunity and time to better their situation. The No. 9 and 10 play-in teams have to win two games to see the postseason. If they can run down Atlanta or Orlando, the No. 7 and 8 teams need to just win one. Even a loss doesn’t end the run, with the loser of No. 7 and 8 playing the winner of the No. 9 and 10 game in a one-and-done situation.
So how realistic will it be for the Bulls to jump up in the final few weeks? It’s definitely on the table.
Miami has the easiest remaining schedule of the four teams and the third easiest in the entire NBA. Atlanta is right there, with the fourth easiest remaining schedule. The Bulls have the seventh easiest remaining schedule, and the real pressure falls on Orlando.
The Magic still face Boston, Indiana, and the Clippers, giving them only the 15th easiest remaining schedule.
So big picture the Bulls have an opening. Just don’t tell the rookie.